Wishing to give the child a little manna I asked for a spoon. The little girl went to the table drawer to get one, and her mother said to her: "Get the longest handled spoon." As she opened the drawer, I saw only two spoons, and both with handles broken off, but one handle was a little longer than the other. I thought to myself this is a very poor family, but I will do the best I can to relieve them. While I was preparing the food for the sick child, I heard the oldest boy (who was about fourteen), say: "You shall have the biggest piece now, because I had the biggest piece before." I turned around to see who it was that manifested such a principle of justice, and I saw four or five children sitting in the corner, where the oldest was dividing a roasted potato among them. And he said to one: "You shall have the biggest piece now," etc. But the other said: "Why, brother, you are the oldest, and you ought to have the biggest piece."
"No," said the other, "I had the biggest piece."
I turned to the mother, and said: "Madam, you have potatoes to eat, I suppose?"
She replied, "We have had, but this is the last one we have left; and the children have now roasted that for their breakfast."
On hearing this, I hastened home, and informed my wife that food was needed for the sick family. I then prescribed a gallon of milk, two loaves of bread, some b.u.t.ter, meat and potatoes, and sent my boy with these; and had the pleasure to hear in a few days that they were all well.
--Selected.
ONLY ONE VOTE
A local option contest was going on in W--, and Mrs. Kent was trying to influence her husband to vote "No License." Willie Kent, six years old, was, of course on his mamma"s side. The night before election Mr. Kent went to see Willie safe in bed, and hushing his prattle, he said: "Now, Willie, say your prayers."
"Papa, I want to say my own words, tonight," he replied. "All right, my boy, that is the best kind of praying," answered the father.
Fair was the picture, as Willie, robed in white, knelt at his father"s knee and prayed reverently: "O dear Jesus, do help papa to vote No Whiskey tomorrow. Amen."
Morning came, the village was alive with excitement. Women"s hands, made hard by toil, were stretched to G.o.d for help in the decision.
The day grew late and yet Mr. Kent had not been to the polls. Willie"s prayer sounded in his ears, and troubled conscience said: "Answer your boy"s pet.i.tion with your ballot."
At last he stood at the polling place with two tickets in his hand-- one, license; the other, "No License." Sophistry, policy, avarice said: "Vote License." Conscience echoed: "No License." After a moment"s hesitation, he threw from him the No License ticket and put the License in the box.
The next day it was found that the contest was so close that it needed but one vote to carry the town for prohibition. In the afternoon, Willie found a No License ticket, and, having heard only one vote was necessary, he started out to find the man who would cast this one ballot against wrong, and in his eagerness he flew along the streets.
The saloon men were having a jubilee, and the highways were filled with drunken rowdies. Little Willie rushed on through the unsafe crowd.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Hark! a random pistol-shot from a drunken quarrel, a pierced heart, and sweet Willie Kent had his death wound--
They carried him home to his mother. His father was summoned, and the first swift thought that came to him, as he stood over the lifeless boy, was: "Willie will never pray again that I vote No Whiskey."
With a strange still grief he took in his own the quiet little hand chilling into marble coldness, and there between the fingers, firmly clasped, was the No License ballot with which the brave little soul thought to change the verdict of yesterday.
Mr. Kent started back in shame and sorrow. That vote in his hand might have answered the prayer so lately on his lips now dumb, and perhaps averted the awful calamity. Fathers, may not the hands of the "thousands slain" make mute appeal to you? Your one vote is what G.o.d requires of you. You are responsible for it being in harmony with His law as if on it hung the great decision.
--_The Issue_
How a Little Girl Utilized the Telephone
A mother living not very far from the post-office in this city, tired with watching over a sick baby, came down stairs for a moment the other day for a few second"s rest. She heard the voice of her little, four-year-old girl in the hall by herself, and, curious to know to whom she was talking, stopped for a moment at the half-opened door. She saw that the little thing had pulled a chair in front of the telephone, and stood upon it, with the piece against the side of her head. The earnestness of the child showed that she was in no playing mood, and this was the conversation the mother heard, while the tears stood thick in her eyes; the little one carrying on both sides, as if she were repeating the answers:
[Ill.u.s.tration]
"h.e.l.lo."
"Well, who"s there?"
"Is G.o.d there?"
"Yes."
"Is Jesus there?"
"Yes."
"Tell Jesus I want to speak to him."
"Well?"
"Is that you, Jesus?"
"Yes. What is it?"
"Our baby is sick, and we want you to let it get well. Won"t you, now?"
No answer, and statement and question again repeated, and finally answered by a "Yes."
The little one put the ear-piece back on its hook, clambered down from the chair, and with a radiant face, went for her mother, who caught her in her arms.
The baby whose life had been despaired of, began to mend that day and got well.
--_Elmira Free Press_
Jesus Answers Ruth"s Prayer
I went to sit up all night with a very sick neighbor. I took Ruth, my little five-year-old girl along. When I started to leave the next morning, the folks told me to leave Ruth there and they would send her home when she awakened. Being very busy, they forgot about the child for some time, and she got up and started home by herself. She started up the fence which she thought led home, but she took the wrong fence and it led out into a large pasture where there were deep canyons, bad cattle, wolves, and other dangers.
The neighbors missed Ruth and sent their son to find out if Ruth had got home all right. Her parents became alarmed when they were told that she had left two hours before. Her father started out to find his precious child, asking G.o.d to direct him to her. After going some distance, he heard someone talking. He stopped and listened. His heart was so glad, for he knew it was his child. She was kneeling by a post praying. And this is what he heard her say, "O sweet Jesus, please send my papa to find me! I"m not afraid! I know that you wouldn"t let nothing hurt your little girl, but if my papa didn"t find me, my mama would cry herself to death and my papa would almost cry his self to death. So please, sweet Jesus, send my papa to find me."
"Here I am, Ruth," Papa said, as he walked toward her.
"Oh, Papa, I knew Jesus would send you to find me!" Ruth said as she quickly jumped up and ran to her father, throwing her arms around him.
Mother was very happy when she saw father coming with their child, and thanked G.o.d for caring for her.
--Essie Wilson
VERY SICK